Second Chance
by Kabuto-pants
Summary: Sequel to Apple and Cinnamon. Just when you think love is a distant dream, Oh, fate gives you wings. KakaIru, make-up.


**A/N:** So, this is technically the sequel to Apple and Cinnamon that I wrote a while ago. Someone wanted me to write it, so I decided, "Why the hell not?" The song included is "Second Chance" by Trisha Yearwood. It seemed like a good song, though I've never heard of it before. I find it to be cute really.

**Genki: **Hello, I'm a Red Panda, born and raised in Nepal…

**KP: **So, the cats are on vacation, and I have a Red Panda-

**Genki: **However, I am not a pet, I am a stuffed animal. I will be delivering the disclaimer this time 'round. Kabuto-pants does not own the characters used in this story, nor the rights to the song used.

**KP: **I hope you all enjoy.

IfIhadmychance,Iwouldneverletyougo.

_What do you do when love comes along _

Iruka had freaked out, having the time to think over Kakashi's words of love and torture. Laying with his head beside his lover's, or rather now his ex-lover, had not helped his thinking. When love had come once again, Iruka jumped on the chance to redeem himself with this woman. He loved her, he was her friend, but how did he love her? Iruka knew that he didn't love her like he loved Kakashi. He loved her friendly.

Arashi dealt with Iruka through thick and thin, and she knew he would never love her lustfully. Iruka gave her a man to help take care of things, to watch her child, someone else to come home too. These she wanted from him, and no more if he couldn't provide it willingly. She loved him gently.

_And offers your heart a chance to move on _

Kakashi sat in his apartment, looking at the things Iruka had left behind, thinking of the cinnamon man. Chances of love once again had come and gone many times, but he wanted none of that. He knew now that he would only ever love Iruka like a deity, like a lover, like the center of his universe. He loved Iruka completely. Alone, the silver haired man vowed that Iruka would be the only one he would ever love, and would take back the man if he were to ever return. This much showed that Kakashi was irrevocably obsessed with the cinnamon man.

_With no guarantees, no safety net? _

"Ara-chan, I…don't know what we are doing," Iruka whispered, his lips hovering over Arashi's. They had found her last bottle of sake hidden up in the highest cupboard, and now sat in the living room drunk. The cinnamon man skimmed his lips over the blond woman's, but didn't kiss her fully. That was reserved, and even in his drunken stupor, he knew that.

"Me neither, but if you love me the way you make it seem now, kiss me deeply. If not, please leave now. I truly can't stand it anymore," Arashi said in a moan.

Iruka skimmed his lips once more, and sat back from the boisterous blond. Saying in his low voice, "I'm sorry, Ara-chan."

He didn't see her crying on the sofa as he left.

_You trust what you feel; you take that first step _

Kakashi sat on the stool, pulled all the way up to the bar, across from Arashi's apartment that she had been sharing with Iruka and her son, Takuya. Thinking back on it now, they had been living together for a whole year now.

Of course Kakashi envied Arashi for having what he chased away with his stupid words. The older man knocked back a few scotch shots and patted his Scotch Pot tummy. After the third week of being without Iruka, Kakashi let himself go. Now the man was a bit chubbier, and had retired from the life of a ninja. An unbearable limp that couldn't heal properly had put him out of commission.

_Just close your eyes _

Iruka leaned against the apartment door, his eyes closed and rubbing them. Redemption wouldn't- couldn't- come in the form of another close one, but what he left behind a year ago. Iruka found it odd that not once had he seen Kakashi in the whole year that he had been away. Opening his eyes, it was as if his wish to see the older man had come true.

Though Iruka had no idea what to think of this new Kakashi across the street. He was surely chubbier around the middle, and his hair was out of control. It had grown out so much that it just hung down limply. It wasn't thick and shiny the way the cinnamon man remembered it.

_Reach for the moment _

Pushing away from the door, Iruka took the stairs down to the ground and studied Kakashi closer. The older man was getting up from the stool and had a hard time doing so because of a limp. His muscles must have been really stiff because of it. He watched the man pass a longing look at the apartment door above, before limping off towards his own home.

_Before it slips by _

Kakashi was slow enough to follow without being detected, and that is exactly what Iruka did. There was going to be no giving up the man again, especially in such a state. Iruka had no idea how much he had affected Kakashi since he left, but he was getting the gist of it now. Before Kakashi could open his apartment door, Iruka swooped down and hugged the retired shinobi from behind, being cautious of all survival tactics that the man would attempt.

_Here is your second chance _

With a sense of surprise, Kakashi asked, "Iruka?"

"I'm sorry, Kakashi…I don't know how many times I need to say it, but I'm sorry. What I did was only out of my own fear of being left, I'm so sorry," the cinnamon man whimpered into Kakashi's back, squeezing tightly lest the older man tried to shake him off.

_Take it and fly _

The silver haired man didn't shake off Iruka, but instead pulled the cinnamon man around in front of him. His strength was still intact despite his outward appearance and status as a retiree. Kakashi framed Iruka's face with his large, slightly chubby hands, and stroked the tanned cheeks. They were still as soft as the last time he stroked them. Everything about Iruka was still the same, and Kakashi liked that. Unlike himself, something had stayed the same, had remained constant.

"I scared you away, I never should have said what I did because I didn't mean it. It was my fault you left like you did. Don't apologize for my mistakes. Never," murmured the older man, leaning his forehead to Iruka's.

_The weight of the world, the need to survive _

Iruka made the first move after several minutes of just standing there, forehead to forehead. With swift movements, the cinnamon man swooped in and took Kakashi's lips with his own, nibbling on the man's bottom lip. God, it had been too long since they had done this.

Kakashi's hands tangled into the pony tail, gripping on tightly. He definitely didn't want this to be a dream. It felt so real, maybe it wasn't a dream, but a nightmare. Iruka would leave him again, and it would end in a scream. Without knowing, tears were streaming down Kakashi's cheeks, soaking the mask that lined the retiree's face.

_Has made you believe that you've got no right _

Iruka pulled away just a centimeter, still wanting to remain close. Cinnamon hands pulled the deep blue cloth off of his lover's face, and wiped away the stray tears. Once more he leaned in and kissed Kakashi fully on the lips, loving the feel of it, missing the feel of it, of the other kissing back. Never had he felt to strongly for the other, and the same was for Kakashi.

_Then, out of the blue, you meet someone, Who offers a place warm as the sun _

"We met out of the blue, again, didn't we, Kakashi…and you fill me with such happiness. Why did I ever leave your warmth," Iruka whispered against hot lips, their breaths mingling in cool night air.

"It was more like you followed me, wasn't it? Fate has its ways of moving people, and it moved you to me for its reasons. All I want is for you to be happy," Kakashi bit Iruka's lips in response, "That's why I didn't chase you when you left. I'll love you forever, even if you're gone."_Just when you think love is a distant dream, Oh, fate gives you wings _

_To shut the man up from anymore embarrassing talk, Iruka smothered the retiree in a kiss. Teeth clashed with teeth, tongue battled tongue, and the neighbor kids were scarred forevermore._


End file.
